Manufacture of glass by means of electricity.



No. 708,309. Patented Sept. 2, I902.

J: BBONN. HANUFAGTURE 0F GLASS BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY. (Application filed Sept. 21, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

mll ml Patented Sept. 2, I902. J. BRONN. MANUFACTURE OF GLASS BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY.

(Application filed Sept. 21, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

M (kW/ri UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

Jason BRONN, or coLoess, GERMANY,

SCHEM'WEGE BECKER & 00., 'M. B. 11.,

V ASSIGKOR To GYESELIJSGHAIFT are VERWERTUNG DER PATENTE FUR GLASERZEUGUNG AUF ELECTRI-- OF COLOGNE, GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE or GLASS BY MEANS or ELECTRICITY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,809, dated September 2, 1902.

' application filed deptemher 21,- lQOl. Serial No. 76,087. (No specimens.)

To (all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, J EGOR BRONN,a subject of the Emperorof Russia, residing at Cologneoila-the-Rhine, Kingdom of Prussia, and Empm of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Glass by Means of Electricity, of which the following is a specification. In melting the raw materials used in the to manufacture of'glass by means ofv the electric arc difficulty is often experienced owing to the mixture, which consists of a powder or is made up of numerous small particles, be-

coming agglomerated by partial fusion before :5 arriving at the electrodes, so that itjs necessary to assist the passage of the mass by push-' ing it from time to time. The mixture there-- fore arrives intermittently or step by step underneath or between the electrodes, so that :0 the latter, both as regards the thermic efiect and as regards the mechanical wear by the friction of the raw material, are subject to varying stresses. Finally it may be mentioned that owing to the intermittent movement or feed of the mass considerably more carbon-' dust is caused to fall from the carbons of the electrodes, so that the'glass is correspondingly adulteratcd and must consequently be refined for a longer time. 1 M

It has been ascertained by a number of experiments conducted with the object of overcoming the before-mentioned disadvantages that the latter can be entirely avoided if the raw material is caused to pass under or between the electrodes in the form of co m-pressed rods, balls, briquets, or the like, 'or, better still, in the form of a continuous rod. This end can, for example, be obtained by providing before or above the electric mclting-furo nacea device or apparatus in which the raw material may be-kneaded and compressed before being caused to pass under or between the electrodes. In order to assist the opera-. tion, water or any binding agent-401 exam- 5 ple, water-glass-may be added to the raw material, or the calc-spar commonly used in melting glass maybe either wholly or partially replaced by strongly-binding hydraulic liine, plaster. or such like. Fertile-purpose qnets, continuous rod, the electric furnace, this can most easily be done by conducting the same over heated plates or rollers.

which are heated by of producing the continuous red the raw'material after being mixed with a suitable binding agent shouldpreferably be caused to pass between rollers.

If it is desired to dry the rods, balls, bri- &c., before entering For this purpose heat due to electrical resistance may be utilized.

In the accompanying drawings, .whichillustrate diagrammatically an apparatus for carrying out the process, side elevation of the furnace andapparatus for mixing and compressing the raw' material. Fig.- 2 is a sectional plan of the furnace and compressing apparatus. resent detailshereinafter referred to.

As shown by these drawings, the mixing and compressing apparatus for the raw material to be melted.

d represents the furnace-body,and f a viewaperture, and g the outlet-shaft, respectively, provided therein.

1' represents several pairs of rollers which compress the raw material into a band or ribbon form and then feed it to the rollers b,

electrical resistance, as. @shown in- Fig. 3, or by'steam, as shown in Fig.

4, or in any other suitable manner.

0 represents the continuous rods or ribbons of 'raw material,which are conducted between Figure] is a sectional Figs. 3 and 4 repa represents or beneath the electrodes e of the furnace (1, so that they pass through the electric arcs.

' By means of this apparatus the process may be easily carried out in such a manner that the variations of the electric current are re- 'duced to a minimum and so that a contact of the molten material with heated by the arc is i the glass obtained heretofore.

The above course be replaced by any other one suitable for the purpose.

What I claim, and desire to. secure by Letters Patent of the 1. The process herein described of producing glass by electricity, which consists in mixthe'electrode when entirely avoided, so that is purer in quality than described apparatus may of United States, is-- ing the raw materials together with water and 8 suitable binding agent, conducting the mixof electricity consisting in '10 substantially as and for the pn rpose ,set forth. 3. A process for producingglassby meansof electricity consisting in compressing the raw material to which a suitable binding agent such as water, water-glass, hydraulic plaster or lime is added into a continuous rod and in then subjecting this rod to the action of the electric current, and melting the same,

' substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

roasts 4. A process for producing glass by means of electricity consisting-in compressing the raw material, to which a suitable binding agent such as water, water-glass, hydraulic plaster orlime is added intoa solid form, then' drying the same and finally melting 'it by means of the electric current, substantially asandfor the purpose set forth.

5. A process for producing glass by means of electricity consisting in compressing the rawmaterial, to which a suitable binding agent such as water, water-glass, hydraulic plaster or lime is added into a solid form, conducting said form over a heated surface, drying the same and in then melting said form by means of the electric current, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JEGOR BRONN; Witnessesz- CAR SGHMITT,

JOH. 801mm. 

